The Hereford Brand (Hereford, Tex.), Vol. 8, No. 15, Ed. 1 Friday, May 22, 1908 Page: 2 of 8
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The Hereford Brand, May, 22 1908
FARMING IMPLEMENTS
When buying farming implements you
want the best. We have the best and the
prices are right. For everything in the
Hardware line come to our store.
STROUD-GARY HARDWARE CO.
A M¿N IN TAIL.
Secures his Freedom by Writing
Want Ad—Creates New Idea
for Men not at Liberty.
By the pardon last month of John
L. Silber, by Governor Haskell of
Oklahoma, a strange tale of the hu-
man interest variety is brought to a
conclusion- The story is given a
place in Printers' Ink because a six-
line Want Ad is responsible for the
whole affair.
For the purpose of booming its ;
Want Ad page the Oklahoman of
Oklahoma City, had off-red pri• s :
for the most original liners that ap-
peared in the paper on a given day.
A committee of local advertisers, se-
lected tu act as judges in the contest.
v;ry properly awarded the first prize
to the writer of this advertisement:
Wanted: - Young man in 'ail wants out:
suggestions solicited that might result in :
immediate release; wants poet's address
who wrote "Stone Walls Do Not a Prison
Make Nor Iron Bars a Cage." Address
John L. Silber, Kay county jail, Newkirk,
Oklahoma.
A great deal of notoriety was given
to Mr. Silber's peculiar announce-
ment, and many letters were ad-
dressed to the Oklahoman and to the
prisoner from interested people all
over the State, wanting to know on
what charge he was confined, and
whether or not anything could be
done toward securing his liberty.
Finally, through the assistance of
the Oklahoman, the movement took
definite shape, and attorneys were
employed to draw up petitions for
his pardon. An investigation de-
veloped the fact that Silber was
very probably unjustly imprisoned.
The circumstances were briefly as
follows : Silber is a young man of
some twenty-two years of age, a
professional railroad switchm a n.
Having an inclination to travel, and
being a member of the Trainmen's
Union, which eave him free transpor-
tation, he left his home in Buffalo
and went to Oklahoma :n the spring
of last year. He stopped off at
Newkirk, and was looking the small
town over, when he was accmsted by
the town Marshal, who demanded to j
know what he was doing there, j
Silber resented the Marshal's offi-'
ciousness, and told him that it was
none of his business. The latter,
having nothing else to do, followed j
Silber about for the most of the day.
Finally, Silber crossed the railroad
track near (he switch light. The i
rwitch light happened tobe not burn-
ing. This seemed to suggest to the
Marshal a plan for punishment.
Silber vas at once arrested on the •
charge of blowing cut the switch¡
light. Two of the Marshal's men
swore, in the preliminary hearing,
that they saw Silber blow out the :
light. Silber had a switchman's!
key on his person, and the case
seemed likely to go rather hard with
him, especially as he was without
money and friends, and refused to
notify his relatives in the East. On
the advice of his acquaintances in
Newkirk, he pleaded guilty to the
charge, and accepted a jail sentence
rather than run the risk of being sent
to the penitentiary.
The absurdity of the charge is
quite apparent when it is considered
that the switch light is within 100
feet of the depot, and that it was
broad daylight, between 4 and 5
o'clock, when it was supposed to
have been blown out, and also that,
according to the affidavit of numer-
ous people in Newkirk, the switch
light was allowed to go out, and re-
main out for hours without attention.
Letters were written to the Gov-
ernor by the prosecuting attorney
who had tried the case, by the
judge of the district court before
whom the case was tried, and by the
county sheriff, .all recommending
pardon. The petition wat presented
to the Governor by Senator Roy E.
Stafford, of Oklahoma City, and par-
don was almost immediately granted.
It is too much to expect that a
new classification of Want Ad bus-
iness will result from Mr. Silber's
successful trial of the Oklahoman's
columns, but the story is interesting
in that it supplies another proof of
the value of the classified.
Notice.
The Ladies Aid Society of the
Christian Church wish to announce
that they will observe Decoration
Day, May 30, by decorating the
graves of those who have passe 1 in-
to the great beyond, and extend a
cordial invitation to the Aid Societies
of all the churches to j nn us in this
labor of love.
Mrs. E. E. Ra:.:sey, Sec.
Posts.
When in need of posts see Fallwell
& Sons. We have best assortment
in Hereford. Texas. 12tf
SHOOK PRESS AGENT.
Will Carry on a Vigorous Campaign
of Education Through the
State Press}
j Fort Worth, Texas, May 13.
Major L. B. Shook of Abilene re-
cently appointed press agent of the
Texas Commercial Secretaries Asso-
ciation. entered upon his duties to-
1 day and has his headquarters with
i the Association in the Wheat build-
: ing in this city.
Major Shook h is had an extensive
and successful experience in the
¡newspaper work, and h.r; a wide a;--
| quaintanoe among the profession in
! this State. He is in sympathy and
j thoroughly familiar with the w
of the organization.
i Major Shook's work will be largely
; educational in its character, and he
: will supply the press with informa-
j tion of especial interest to farmers
| and business men concerning best
I methods of conserving and develop-
ing the material resources of this
: State. The co-operation methods
adopted by the State Association
makes the work State-wide and opens
up a field of usefulness to the press
of Texas and provides an opportunity
for patriotic work on the part of
every enterprising citizen of Texas.
Junior League Program.
Following is the program for the
Junior Epworth League, Sunday,
May 23, 2 :45 p. m.
Subject—The Pure in Heart.
Song —Take my Life and let it be.
Lesson Text —Marhew 5 :3-12.
Prayer—Superint- !er.t.
Song I Need Thee ev y hour.
Key Thought Essie Jensen.
Reference* by Juniors.
Sang—Jewels.
Recitation—Bessie Snyder.
Song - Ruth Myrick and Leila
j Patton.
Recitation —Albert Pike Snyder.
Song—Will there be any Stars in
my Crown.
Story—Superintendent.
Leader—Cassie Phillips.
INSURE
Your homes. They
are constantly in
danger of that Red
Demon. Do not
neglect your duty
in protecting your
home, but get a
Policv todav.
DO II ROW
I desire to announce to my friends that I am Resident Agent for the
following Fire Insurance Companies, in Hereford and vicinity:
Organized
Royal of Liverpool 1845
Northern of London 1836
Home of New York 1853
Ins. Co. of North America 1792
German American of N. Y. 1872
Phoenix of Brooklin 1853
Westchester of N. Y. 1837
Shawnee Fire of Topeka 1882
Pnlrmial r>f KT V 1 ROA
Capital
83,000,000
3,000,000
1,500,000
1,500,000
300,000
200,000
200,000
S9.7on.nnn
American Assets
$12,928,254
4,230,182
20,839,174
10,741,510
13,798,730
9,501,321
3,738,676
1,092,463
773.406
S77.65n.716
I do not claim to represent all the Companies in the world, but
from the above statement, you are compelled to admit that I do
represent a number of the strongest Companies doing business in the
state. Yours very truly,
J. H. KING, Agent
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Elliot, A. C. The Hereford Brand (Hereford, Tex.), Vol. 8, No. 15, Ed. 1 Friday, May 22, 1908, newspaper, May 22, 1908; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth142571/m1/2/: accessed June 10, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Deaf Smith County Library.